Return, O Israel!
1 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
Ee Israeli, mrudie Bwana, Mungu wako; maana umeanguka kwa sababu ya uovu wako.
2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
Chukueni maneno pamoja nanyi, mkamrudie Bwana; mkamwambie, Ondoa maovu yote, uyatakabali yaliyo mema; na hivyo ndivyo mtakavyotoa sadaka za midomo yetu kana kwamba ni ng'ombe.
3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.
Ashuru hatatuokoa; hatutapanda farasi; wala hatutaiambia tena kazi ya mikono yetu, Ninyi ndinyi miungu yetu; maana kwako wewe wasio na baba hupata rehema.
4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
Mimi nitawaponya kurudi nyuma kwao; nitawapenda kwa ukunjufu wa moyo; kwa maana hasira yangu imemwacha.
5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
Nitakuwa kama umande kwa Israeli; naye atachanua maua kama nyinyoro, na kuieneza mizizi yake kama Lebanoni.
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
Matawi yake yatatandaa, na uzuri wake utakuwa kama uzuri wa mzeituni, na harufu yake kama Lebanoni.
7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
Na wao wakaao chini ya uvuli wake watarejea; watafufuka kama ngano, na kuchanua maua kama mzabibu; harufu yake itakuwa kama harufu ya divai ya Lebanoni.
8 Ephraim shall say , What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him , and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
Efraimu atasema, Mimi nina nini tena na sanamu? Mimi nimeitika, nami nitamwangalia. Mimi ni kama mberoshi wenye majani mabichi. Kwangu mimi yamepatikana matunda yako.
9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
Ni nani aliye na hekima, naye atayafahamu mambo haya? Ni nani aliye na busara, naye atayajua? Kwa maana njia za Bwana zimenyoka, nao wenye haki watakwenda katika njia hizo; bali waasio wataanguka ndani yake.
